5 Minutes For Books

Books on Screen: The Kite Runner

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Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is such a beautiful story. I read the book a year and a half ago, which sets me up perfectly to enjoy an on-screen adaptation of the book (My recipe for success in this area? Read book. Love book so much that I want more. Let time pass — at least a year — so that the details of the book have softened in my mind. Watch movie.). For more details about the story if you are unfamiliar with it, please read my review of the book.

I didn’t rush to watch the movie for the same reason I hesitated to read the book — it’s a tough story dealing with the pain of regret. But once I started reading the book, I was drawn in by the beautiful language and heart-felt story.

In a similar way, the film is so visually appealing that it drew me in right away. Watching the movie — already knowing the story from the novel — gave it an even greater effect. The weight of Amir’s bad choices just hang in the air, since I know what’s going to happen. However, seeing it play out on screen, I had a slightly different reaction. Hassan’s loyalty seems more real and less of an archetype. Amir’s youth and insecurity is more readily understood. As time passes, watching Amir’s persistence and sacrifice to right his past wrongs gave me the same emotional reaction that the story of redemption in the book evoked.

If you’ve avoided this story because of its difficult content, I recommend this movie to you. You’ll get a taste of the story, but in a two-hour chunk with an uplifting ending, as opposed to having to invest in reading 400 pages — 400 beautifully written pages — but nonetheless. . . . On that note, I have to say that you will be reading a fair bit if you watch the movie. Most of it is subtitled, and this surprised me, even though I knew that the majority of it took place in Afghanistan.

It is not a story without hope. As the movie highlights “There is a way to be good again.” The movie’s ending is a bit happier than the book’s, not because anything material is changed, but because some of the details are left out. Some of you will like that.

Watching the movie has made me want to read the book again, and I’m sure that I will at some point, but for now, I think it’s encouraged me to finally read A Thousand Splendid Suns (I stated this same intent in my book review over a year and a half ago, but I kept delaying, and as always happens, other books got in the way, but will you believe me now if I say I really, really plan to read it?). Khalid Hosseini is a beautiful storyteller.

In honor of the release of this movie (rated PG-13) in Blu-Ray format, I have one Kite Runner Blu-Ray DVD to give away (U.S. or Canadian shipping addresses).

It truly is a beautiful movie — the type that plays out wonderfully in high-definition format. There are also some great special features, including interviews with the director and the author of the book, which I enjoyed. Khaled Hosseini is even featured in the commentary on the movie (that I haven’t watched yet), which shows his active role in adapting his book to the screen.

He’s pleased with the movie. Yes, there is a lot cut out, but there are no significant changes, so even book purists will probably be pleased with this movie.

Just leave a comment if you’d like to win, and I’ll announce the winner on April 1.

In addition to books, managing editor Jennifer Donovan, loves a good story as told via a movie or TV series, which she most often enjoys on DVD. She blogs at Snapshot about life with her tween daughter and preschool son.

Comments

  1. I loved this book as well. It is not the type of book I normally read but it was highly recommended to me. I got my best friend to finally read it and she loved it as well. In my opinion, the movie was well done. My husband watched the movie but did not read the book. He enjoyed the movie and I told him he’d really love the book! Any news of a movie being made from A Thousand Splendid Suns? That was also a fascinating read!

  2. I would like to see this (not from the giveaway, of course). I encourage you to read A Thousand Splendid Suns. I liked* it even more than the Kite Runner, possibly because it is the story of women in Afganistan. I recommend it!

    *Like isn’t really the appropriate word for this kind of story, but I consider it well worth the read.

  5. I liked the book and have the movie but didn’t see it yet.. please do not enter me in the giveaway..
    i just wanted to say I love your review 🙂

  6. Not my normal book or movie, but I did enjoy them. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns first and enjoyed it so much more.

  7. I already own the movie so no need to enter me in the giveaway, but I wanted to say that like Lauren, I LOVED A Thousand Splendid Suns, more than The Kite Runner. Equally difficult to read, also such it was a beautifully written story. I also think I liked it more because it was about the women in Afghanistan. You must read it soon!

  10. I would love to win this movie! I have seen it once and I haven’t cried so much watching a movie in a long while!

    We would love to have a copy!

    Thanks

  11. I LOVED this book and I really liked the movie too; I would love to have a copy.

    And you’ll really enjoy “1000 Splendid Suns” too.

  12. I haven’t read the book or seen the movie yet but both are on my to-do lists. Would love to win!

  13. Thanks for this review. I read the book and, though it was hard (emotionally) to read at times, I really liked it — for the story, the language. I haven’t seen the movie yet, though, for the same reasons you mention. Not sure I’m ready for it yet, but one of these days…

  14. Oh Jennifer, I LOVED this book, and quite honestly, I think I forgot that it was made into a movie! I think I’ll give the movie a shot, because it’s been quite a while since I read the book, and my memory is not all that good anyway. 🙂

  21. I downloaded this book to my mp3. It was a very touching story and well written.

  29. I have read the book, but haven’t yet seen the movie. Thanks for the chance to win.

  32. I read this book and loved it… haven’t seen the movie yet… would love to win the movie

    thanks

    debbebennett at yahoo dot com

  40. I too put off reading the book, but it is worth reading . I liked the book better because I really got a better understanding of the country and culture. Afghanistan is not a far away unknown rocky country with primitive people. My husband did not read the book but appreciated the movie.

  48. I just read this book last month and it was amazing. i am currently reading 100 Splendid Suns and it is equally as brilliant. I would love to see this movie.

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